The Anambra State Labour Party (LP) has threatened to boycott the upcoming September 28 local elections in the state.
The LP spokesperson in Anambra State, Theo Egbe, disclosed this during a press conference in Awka, the state capital, on Saturday.
PREMIUM TIMES obtained a text of the conference.
ANSIEC published APGA members as LP candidates
On September 11, Genevieve Osakwe, the Chairperson of the Anambra State Independent Electoral Commission (ANSIEC), released the final list of qualified candidates for the local government elections.
Ms Osakwe said candidates and political parties for the election should commence their campaigns, adding that the list of candidates had been published as required by the Electoral Act 2022.
However, in Saturday's statement, LP spokesman Mr Egbe accused ANSIEC of publishing the names of “known” members of the ruling APGA as LP candidates for the election.
Giving an example, he said an APGA member and current transitional chairman of the Orumba Northern Council Area of the state was on the list of persons published by the commission as LP candidates.
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PREMIUM TIMES could not independently verify the claim.
The LP chief expressed surprise that ANSIEC published the list despite the fact that the party did not sell nomination forms, hold primary elections or submit its registration or list of candidates to the commission.
“The Anambra State Chapter of the Labour Party views this conduct by ANSIEC and the Anambra State Government as a criminal attack on due process and a violation of the electoral laws of the country as well as an unwarranted provocation to law-abiding members of the Labour Party at large,” he said.
Legal actions
Mr Egbe, an engineer, said the LP, in a letter dated September 9, informed ANSIEC and the people of Anambra State of its intention to boycott the exercise.
He said the party has also notified the authorities of the State Security Service in the state and the Commissioner of Police in Anambra State of the development.
The spokesman added that the LP had notified the commission of a pending lawsuit the party filed against the State House of Assembly challenging the creation of ANSIEC and the manipulation of the elections.
Mr Egbe hinted that the LP had also filed a separate suit against the commission over the development, but did not give details.
He argued that the LP has a “total lack of faith, confidence and security in both ANSIEC” and the process adopted for the elections, which according to the party violated the 2022 Electoral Law.
“In conclusion, the Anambra State Labour Party family pledges to continue to uphold the law even in the face of these obvious absurdities, illegalities and gross provocations and to diligently engage in the legal pursuit of dismantling the farce of the Anambra LGA Council election through the courts of law,” he said.
'Our Call'
Mr. Egbe said despite the planned boycott and demands, the LP has called on ANSIEC and the Anambra State Government to reschedule the election and prepare the electoral body to conduct it.
This, he said, would allow the commission to conduct an election that “will be based on the rule of law and due process, in which all political parties and voters alike will participate in a meaningful and procedural manner.”
“Anambra State has absolutely nothing to lose by rescheduling this unacceptable and disgraceful proposal for the LGA council election so that a legal and lawful election can be held in the nearest future. On the contrary, the State has a lot to gain from it,” the LP spokesman added.
ANSIEC silent
Ms Osakwe, the ANSIEC president, did not respond to calls from a PREMIUM TIMES journalist seeking her comments on Saturday.
She had not yet responded to a text message seeking comment at the time of filing this report.